Attachment for road grading machinery



April 12, 1949. v. SCHIAV] ATTACHMENT FOR ROAD GRADING MACHINERY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 29, 1946 21744212501- I/Zkzcezz/ cfcfil m/z MIA v M Etta/92 April 12, .1949. v. SCHIAVI ATTACHMENT FOR ROAD GRADING MACHINERY Filed May 29, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Kite/wag;

Patented Apr. 12, 1949 VincentSchiavi, v Wil ningt,on, .Del., .assignor to:

Roadgrader. Gauge Corporation, -a corporation of Delaware- Application May29, 1946; Serial No. 672,934:

8 Claims.

My invention relates-toimprovements in street my invention has for its object: to broaden and increase the utility of such. power-operated equipment by providing an attachment therefor for vertically supporting the grader scraper blade on rollers adapted-to travel upon andliollowan edge portion of a preformed'roadsection or curbing and the parallel Widely spaced top surface of a metallic side formvror: header such as are used for-retaining concrete,- the rollers being of adequate length andmounted-on stub shafts which are both verticallyand. :arcuately adjustable relative to theopposite; endsrof the grader blade.

A further object of. my invention isto provide a pair of roller-.supportingimeans adjacentthe remote ends of a roadgrader scraper-blade which means are swiveledfor. horizontal adjustable swinging movements about vertically adjustable. screws so that the horizontal axes of the pairof rollers may bev positioned-and securedin parallel offset relation for -accurately supporting; the scraper for, operation in a space between road side forms of considerably less=width than that-of; the scraper blade;

Another aimaof my invention is to provide -.a form or railsupportedz and guided road grader scraper blade with an attachment. including both supporting and guiding rollers which. are-mountedon the rear end edge. portions ofthe :blade. for relative adjustment and operation-in: maintain-- ing the supported scraper blade in predetermined adjusted position throughout itsaoperation:

A still furtherpurpose-ofmy inyentionris to provide means readily *operable from 1 above the road grader scraper blades for vertically adjusting the king .pin mounting means ;of the-swing.- able blade supporting:rollers-relativetto the associated guiding rollers whereby-the blade maybe adjusted to. the'desired depth.-for1. continuous operation. between a pair :of: supporting forms :or rails and the :angle varied as requiredby changes in'the distances between the forms or rails during operation.-

A still furtherobject of. my invention isto provide :a .depth gauging-attachment. for the opposite. ends, of a roadgrader'scraper blade which. is capable of. being expeditiously mounted onrorm removed, from. the blade without .altera=. tions of...theblade.

Yetpanother object is. the provision of a. depth gauging. attachment. for the opposite ,endslof .a. road'jgraderscraper blade, saidattachment inI-t cluding a roller. supporting member removably carried by the blade for adjustment.longitudinally thereof, the. supporting. member being provided with'meansion. mounting a tolleronan, axis normally parallel .withithesupporting member, andfor verticaladjustment as, wellas horizontal rotary. adjustment. for disposition ,of p the axis of. theimoller at anpanglento the supporting mem.- ber; the supporting. member.and.roller mount means. being provided (with? .means operable manually onhydraulically'z lfor v.efie'cting thev hori-. zontal rotary adjustment of. the roller and. retaining. samein any given position. of adjustment.

Anothenaimot. the invention is theprovision oia depth gaugingattachment.including a bar adapted. .for longitudinal. adjustable connection withLthe'. endyofa' roadgrader. scraper bladeand which adjacent...one .end thereof is provided with a vertical adjustment screw havin'ga relatively large disc. on ,its lower end and about whichja bracket is supported for rotary. adjustment. about theaxis of, thescrew, the bracket supportingra shaftjabout. which. a roller...is rotatablyijournalled,,.said bar and bracket having cooperating means for efie'ctin'grotationof the bracket about. thewdiscn Still another aimof the invention is the pros vision of; gravity actuated means adapted for connection with the opposite ends ofa road grader. scraper .blad'e. operable to. indicate the angularity of the blade jrelative. to. the horizontal.

Other aims and. purposes .of my invention relate to a. novel attachment for,road grader scraper blades; and;to..the combination, and arrangement of'..parts. whereby the, costslofj manufacture... aswell as th cost usually" incident to accurate leveling and grading operations in paving are materially'decreased;

Referring now tothe' accompanying drawingson. which similanreference' characters represent similar parts? Fi'g .1 isfa rearelevational view of oneiendof a road. grader scraper blade showing a'preferred form or a depth gauging attachment removably connectedthereto.

Fig.2 is. 'a verticalsectional view in the-plane ofline;llil l 'oi2Fi's.. 1.

Fig. 3 'is a bottom. plan viewbf a portion of Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevational view showing the application of means for visually indicating the position of a road grader scraper blade relative to a horizontal plane; and

Fig. 7 is a left-hand elevational view of the structure shown in Fig. 6.

Before referring to the various parts by reference numerals it is desired to point out that in road building using a hard surface such as concrete or other plastic material, it is vitally essential that a predetermined grade be maintained. The most common method now in use is to rough grade the soil or sub-base and then place thereon forms to contain the plastic materials or if a portion of the road has been'built to use that portion as one side of the form. Prior to the pouring of the plastic material it is essential to fine grade the soil or sub-base so that the latter is true in depth. Consequently when the plastic materials are poured and finished the roadway will be of uniform thickness throughout.

Several methods of obtaining the required depth are now in use as follows:

1. Hand grading-A slow and costly process which is not particularly accurate depending upon the degree of care exercised by the individuals performing the operation.

2. Power fine grading, machines.-These While satisfactory in some cases are nevertheless expensive initially, cumbersome and costly to use under many conditions, as for example when short distances are to be graded or where frequent moving of the equipment is necessary. Finally, hand grading is not entirely eliminated.

3. Drag or trail type grader.-Made to be pulled or drawn by hand or by power equipment. This does not always give satisfactory results on mixed types of soil constituting the sub-base. Additionally, it is a very slow method of fine grading and the use of a drag rader or trail type grader always requires hand grading to create a satisfactory base. Such equipment, furthermore, is not of use for any other purpose.

It will now-be apparent that the invention contemplates an attachment for regulating the depth of cut necessary to bring the soil or subbase', to a uniform grade before the pouring of the concrete or other plastic material composing the roadway. The depth gauge, as pointed out heretofore, is to. be employed as an attachment for any type of grading equipment embodying a scraper blade or drag, which equipment may still be used for other purposes as well as the final fine grading. I In the drawings, the invention is shown as comprising a scraper blade 5 having a concaved front face, from top to bottom and a corresponding convex rear surface, although the particular shape of the blade is not of primary importance. In the use of the scraper blade, however, it is adapted to bemoved along while supported by a suitable source of mechanical power or by hand to cause its lower edge to scrape and level a section of ground, which is usually flanked by sideforms or other generally parallel arrangedrails, road sections, curbing or the like.

While various types of subgraders have heretofore been used for subgrade leveling, and which have no doubt been generally satisfactory for the contemplated purposes, I am not aware of any means heretofore used for converting a common road grader or bulldozer to produce the accurate leveling and gauging required in laying a predetermined thickness of concrete in paving operations. With the instant invention, however, the utility of a generally available common road grader, bulldozer or similar rod building equipment used for ordinary scraper duties is increased to encompass fine grading, It will be understood that while the attachment increases the utility it in no way interferes with other normal uses of the aforementioned equipment.

-Means permitting very careful and accurate gauging and setting of tire scraper for operation over long stretches of ground is required which can be readily actuated and set without necessitating attention by expert help.

" In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, a bracket 46 is suitably secured, as by welding, to the convex face of the blade 5 adjacent each end thereof and rigidly attached to the horizontal face of the bracket, also as by welding, is a guide rail 41 which preferably is of inverted U-channel form. The attachment is otherwise wholly removable from the blade, the brackets 46 and rails 41 being the only parts rigidly supportedby the blade whereby the rough grader may be used for its usual purposes upon removal of the attachment therefrom.

The attachment comprises an elongated bar 48 which is H -form in cross section and which is slidably supported on the rail 41. The bar is rigidly retained in any longitudinally adjusted position by means of bolts 49 which project through normally alined elongated slots 50 in the rail, bar and bracket as well as through apertures 5| in washers 52 also of inverted U-form. The bolts 49 include heads 53 to which are rigidly fastened, as by welding, cylindrical members 54 provided with manipulating pin receiving apertures 55. The nuts 56 for the bolts are disposed below the horizontal faces of the brackets 46 and in order to hold such nuts against turning upon operation of the head, the vertical walls of the brackets are equipped with tool-receiving openings 51. The bar 48 adjacent its free end has a nut 58 which is rigidly connected, as by welding, to the bar beneath the central horizontal web thereof as is clearly indicated in Fig. l.

A relatively heavy square threaded screw 59 extends vertically through the nut 58 and has at its upper end a manipulating tool-receiving aperture 60. The screw at its lower end rigidly supports a relatively large and heavy disc 6! which, as will later appear, mounts the roller supporting bracket for both vertical and horizontal adjustment.

A roller supporting bracket 62 is provided and includes a horizontal base plate 63 from the opposite ends of which project shaft supporting members 64 which are integral with the plate 63 and extend at right angles thereto. A shaft 65 extends through the opposed bracket end members 64 and is secured in position therein by inner and outer nuts 66 and 61, respectively. The roller includes an outer relatively heavy cylinder 68, a smaller and lighter inner cylinder 69 and a pair of vertical circular webs I0 rigidly connected with the cylinders. The inner cylinder 69 is of substantially greater radius than shaft 65 and is rotatably supportedon bearings H dis-3.

posed-adjacent opposite endsof the roller, a pair of washers 12-surroundi-ng the shaft 65 and being disposed between members-64 and the adjacent ends of cylinder 69 and bearings II. The shaft 65 is providedwith an oil duct-I4 for admission of lubricant-into'the chamber within cylinder 69 and between bearings H.

The screw supported disc BI is rotatably connected with the bracket 02 by means of a pair of rectangular plates T and TI, each of which has a semi-circular bead It rigidly secured, as by welding, to its 1 wer face, the beads jointly forminga circular racefor the-disc tI-as will be clear from Fig. 3. The plate 'lii'is rigidly fastened in position, also'as' by welding, to the side flanges 'IS' Of-the bracket Mas-indicated at 89in Fig. l. The plateI'I, however, is removable to facilitate mounting and dismounting of the disc and bracket and accordingly said plate is provided with a pair of apertures-8i for receiving bolts 82 releasably engaged with nuts" 83 welded to the underfaceof base plate 63 and which also has bolt receiving apertures alined with the apertures 8 I-... The plate 11 is also preferably provided with stabilizing lugs 84 which relieve strain on the bolts 82. With the structure thus far described, it willbeseen that the roller supporting bracket 62has a swivel connection with the lower end of screw 59 by which such swivel connection is vertically adjustable and thus the roller is capable of adjustment both vertically and in the hori zontal axial plane of shaft 55. An oblong lubricant retaining sleeve 85 is rigidly secured, also as lays-welding, within the bar 48 and above the horizontaluweb thereof and in surrounding relation toithe screw: 59. A cover plate 80 is removably fastened, as by bolts 01, over the upper end of the sleeve 85. A second, and preferably rubber lubricant-retaining sleeve 88, is disposed in surrounding relation to the screw 59 and between nut 58 and the plates I6 and 11.

A frame 90 is rigidl attached by welding to the free end of bar 48 and said frame, as more clearly shown in Fig. 13, provides a relatively large space for movement of a quite heavy pin 9I whose upper end is turned forming a handle 92 and whose lower end is reduced as at 93 for removable engagement within apertures 94 in plate I6 and base plate 63, respectively. At this point it is to be noted that the bead I8 is interrupted adjacent the aperture 94 as illustrated in Fig. 3. The pin BI is horizontally adjustable within the frame 90 to adjust the roller about the disc El and for this purpose, a relatively small sleeve 55 is welded to the side wall 96 of the frame 90 and welded 6 to the outer face of sleeve 95 are thrust washers 91 and 98 which provide a swivel connection for an outer large operating cylinder 99 provided internally and rigid therewith, with a thrust washer I00 cooperating with washer 91 and a nut I III cooperating with washer 98. A relatively heavy pin actuating rod I02 has a head H13 through which pin 9I is removably disposed and such rod for the major portion of its length is square threaded as at I04 for cooperation with the nut IOI. Thus upon turning of cylinder 99, rod I02 will be moved inwardly or outwardly of frame 90 with a resulting horizontal movement of pin 9| and a swinging of the roller to an angular position as is indicated by dot and dash lines in Fig. 4.

While rod I02 is constrained mostly for axial movement and. the lower end of pin 9| is constrained for arcuate movement, the slight play between the thrust washers, some play of pin Min its apertures-and'the fact that. head I03 is rotatable about the axis ofrod I02;will allow for such combined movement. The operating cylinder has operating tool-receiving apertures I05 and slightly inwardly of these apertures the cylinder is provided witha closing web I06 having a connection I01 foradmitting lubricant. to the threaded rod withinthe cylinder. In. this em bodiment of the invention, the. scraper plate 42 is secured to opposite roller bracket end members by means of bolts 42..1.

In order to ascertain the angularity of the blade 5' relative to a horizontal plane as when grading. curves, each; end of the blade is prefer ably provided with: indicating means which may conveniently includea bracket H0 supported on each bracket 46 as in: Figs. 6 and 7. The upper end; of bracket III); is arcuate and has a scale Ill and a vertically'disposed arm H2 is pivatally carried. bybracket 4B as'atI I3, the lower end'of the. arm having a weight I I4. Thus since arm I I2 will remain verticalany angularity' of the blade 5 will be readily apparent upon relative movement ofthe scale and pointer I I2 on'the arm I I2.

It is to be observedthat the apertures 55,. and I05 are all of theisame size wherebyall adjustments may readily be made by. the same tool. Finally, it will be noted that the swivel mounting of the roller :bracket' effectedby the disc 6|, plate 63-and plates .16 and I1- is such thatt'he screw 59' is substantially relieved of any harmful stresses in the event that the roller engages a form or other surface-at a point or points to one side of the axis of the screw or in non-symmetricalirelation thereto due to the rather large bearing .areas of these parts.

While the invention has been described in detail, various changes will occur to those skilled in the art. It is contemplated to cover all such and to be limited in this respect only as may be necessary by the scope of the claims hereto appended.

Having now described my invention in detail, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An attachment for each end of the blade of a rough road-bed grading machine operative to effect fine grading thereby comprising a supporting member removably supported by each end of the blade for adjustment longitudinally thereof, vertically adjustable means supported by the free end of said supporting member, a form-engaging roller, means supporting said roller from the Vertically adjustable means for adjustment about a vertical axis, and horizontally disposed rotatable means supported by said supporting member and cooperating with the roller supporting means for effecting adjustment of said roller about said vertical axis.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein said vertically adjustable means comprises a screw having a relatively large disk rigid with the lower end thereof and wherein the means supporting said roller comprises a bracket having a circular raceway receiving said disk.

3. A subgrade scraper comprising an elongated blade, a cylindrical roller carried adjacent to and outwardly of each end of the blade, a shaft rotatably mounting each roller, supporting means for each shaft, means including a rotatable screw carried by the blade for vertically adjusting said supporting means, and a second horizontally disposed screw also carried by the blade for moving said supporting means about the axis of said firstmentioned screw.

4. An attachment for each of the opposite ends of the blade of a rough grading machine comprising a bar having a form-engageable roller carried thereby, a shaft rotatably mounting each roller, rotatable supporting means for each shaft, means including a rotatable screw carried by said bar for vertically adjusting said supporting means, and a second rotatable screw also carried by the bar for moving said supporting means about the axis of said first-mentioned screw.

5. An attachment for each of the opposite ends of the blade of a road bed rough grading machine comprising an elongated bar longitudinally adjustably supported on the blade, a nut rigidly carried by said bar adjacent its free end, a vertically disposed screw threaded through said nut, a relatively large disc rigidly supported in horizontal position by the lower end of the screw, a roller supporting bracket having a circular raceway receiving said disc for rotatable adjustment of the bracket about the vertical axis of said screw, a vertically disposed pin having its lower end removably engaged within said bracket, and means supported by the bar and operatively engaged with the pin for efiecting movement thereof transverse to its axis for adjustably rotating th bracket about said disc.

6. The structure according to claim 5, wherein said blade has guide rail extending lon itudinally thereof, said bar being slidably mounted on said guide rail, an angular bracket having a horizontal wall fastened to the convex wall of said blade, said rail being rigidly secured to said horizontal wall.

'7. The structure according to claim 5, wherein said raceway includes an upper horizontal plate of said bracket, a pair of rectangular plates disposed above said horizontal plate and spaced therefrom by a circular rib confining the periphery of said disc, one of said plates being rigidly secured to said horizontal plate and the other of the plates being detachably connected to the horizontal plate thereby providing for assembly and disassembly of the bracket and disc.

8. The structure according to claim 5 wherein said means comprises a horizontally disposed threaded bar, a sleeve rigidly supported by the longitudinally adjustable bar and partially surrounding said threaded bar, axially spaced thrust washers rigidly supported by said sleeve externally thereof, a cylinder surrounding said sleeve and having a thrust washer and nut rigidly secured thereto and internally thereof, the thrust washer and nut cooperating with the first named thrust washers and the threaded bar extending through said washer, the threaded bar having an apertured head through which said pin extends, and apertures in said cylinder for reception of a tool for rotating same.

VINCENT SCHIAVI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 561,633 Walker June 9, 1896 899,719 Edzards Sept. 29, 1908 1,203,188 Ellis Oct. 31, 1916 1,230,768 Parrish June 19, 1917 1,849,754 Darrow Mar. 15, 1932 

